The invention relates generally to customer service message routing systems, and more particularly, to methods and apparatus for electronically routing a communication event from a customer to a customer service agent and collecting agent inputs in a secure multi-media/multi-tenant environment.
Often, potential customers may need to ask questions and/or supply information regarding a product or service offered by a particular business. Similarly, existing customers may have questions or complaints about a purchased product or service. For example, a student may wish to register for a seminar, or a computer user may need to know how to operate certain software. Typically, the customer makes a phone call to a phone number associated with the business and talks to a customer service agent. Or, the customer may prefer to send an e-mail message to an address associated with the business and receive a response from a customer service agent.
Of course, each business prefers to publish only one phone number and/or one e-mail addresses for this purpose, so that customers are not inconvenienced by a long list. However, a plurality of customer service agents may be needed to meet customer demand. In order to make one phone number or one e-mail address connect to one of many customer service agents, the customer""s message (the phone call or the e-mail message) is commonly routed by a server to an available agent. The agent either works for the company or has been trained to handle customer messages related to certain products or services offered by that company.
The agent may then enter data associated with a call or an e-mail session. For example, the agent may enter the student""s registration information, or the agent may enter notes about his discussion regarding the computer user""s software problem. This data is then transmitted to the server for storage and/or processing.
These systems are well suited for large companies with steady call processing requirements. However, these systems may not be cost effective for small and/or extremely dynamic call processing. These systems do not allow a plurality of tenants using a plurality of message types to securely share a single system.
The present invention is directed to methods and apparatus for electronically routing a communication event from a customer to a customer service agent and collecting agent inputs in a secure multi-media/multi-tenant environment. A single system may be used to handle more than one tenant and more than one type of message, thereby allowing a plurality of relatively smaller tenants or tenants with dynamic message processing requirements to be aggregated into one cost effective system. Further, a single agent may easily handle different message types and/or customers of different tenants.
In accordance with an aspect of the invention, a method is provided for electronically routing a communication event from a customer to a customer service agent and collecting agent inputs in a secure multi-media/multi-tenant environment. The method correlates a first telephone number to a first computer memory partition. The first computer memory partition is associated with a first tenant. Similarly, the method correlates an e-mail address to a second computer memory partition. The second computer memory partition is associated with a second tenant. Preferably, the first tenant and the second tenant are distinct business entities. The method also correlates a first customer service agent to the first computer memory partition, and a second customer service agent to the second computer memory partition. Subsequently, a communication event is received from the customer. The communication event is then transmitted to the first customer service agent at a second telephone number if the communication event is directed to the first telephone number. Any inputs received from the first agent are then stored exclusively in the first computer memory partition. Similarly, any support interactions associated with the first agent originate from the first computer memory partition.
In some embodiments the method also includes the step of receiving first login information from the first customer service agent, and second login information from the second customer service agent. The first login information preferably includes a first agent identification code and the second telephone number. The second login information preferably includes a second agent identification code and a network address. In such an event, the communication event may be transmitted to the second customer service agent at the network address if the communication event is directed to the e-mail address. Further, inputs received from the second agent may be stored exclusively in the second computer memory partition. In some embodiments, a third customer service agent is correlated to the first computer memory partition and the second computer memory partition.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, an apparatus for electronically routing communication events from customers to customer service agents and storing agent inputs is provided. Preferably, the apparatus includes a telephone interface circuit for electronically communicating with a telephone network and a network interface circuit for electronically communicating with the Internet. Further, the apparatus preferably includes a data storage device having a first memory partition associated with a first tenant and a second memory partition associated with a second tenant. The first tenant and the second tenant are preferably distinct business entities. The data storage device preferably stores a first destination address logically associated with the first memory partition and a second destination addresses logically associated with the second memory partition. Further, the data storage device preferably stores first agent input data logically associated with the first memory partition and second agent input data logically associated with the second memory partition. Still further, the apparatus preferably includes a controller operatively coupled to the telephone interface circuit, the network interface circuit, and the data storage device. Preferably, the controller causes a phone call to be routed from a first customer to a first customer service agent located at the first destination address using the telephone interface circuit. Then, the controller receives first agent inputs from the network interface circuit and causes the data storage device to store the first agent inputs in the first memory partition. Similarly, the controller may cause an e-mail message to be routed from a second customer to a second customer service agent located at the second destination address using the network interface circuit. Subsequently, if the controller receives second agent inputs from the network interface circuit, the controller causes the data storage device to store the second agent inputs in the second memory partition.